“Make it an hour,” Myra said. “I’m not going to be rushed. I haven’t been in a decent hotel for months and I’m going to make the most of it.” She turned on Bogle. “And for goodness sake, dress yourself up, Samuel, right now you look like something put out for salvage.”
“You don’t look so hot yourself,” Bogle snapped. “There’s nothing about you that’d give a scarecrow an inferiority complex.”
“Break it up,” I said hastily. “We’ll meet downstairs in an hour.”
As soon as I had shut myself in my room, I had a bath, changed and then grabbed the telephone.
Juden didn’t sound glad to hear me. “What the hell have you been doing?” he demanded.
“Maddox’s as mad as a hornet.”
“Never mind about Maddox,” I said. “Get your car and come over to the Plaza fast. I’ve got a sweet surprise package for you. No, don’t ask questions, just come down.”
“Okay,” Juden replied crossly. “But it’s got to be good.”
I laughed. “If only you knew just how good it is,” I said and hung up.
I met Juden in the bar a half an hour later. He came in with the light of battle in his eye and a scowl on his face. “There’s a load of grief piling up for you,” he said, shaking hands in a half-hearted sort of way. “What’s the matter with you? Do you realize that you’ve set Maddox back 25 grand? Right now, he’s spitting rust and steel filings.”